The goal of a festival

Hi,

"Festivals are all for joy and for gatherings which provide the benefit that people need in their masses, and they also benefit by causing the love required between people in national gatherings."

(Rambam, Moreh haNevuchim 3:34)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Good intentions do not suffice

Hi,

"They asked me what I knew of the claims and refutations against the philosophers and proponents of religions who disagree with us, and the heretics who oppose the nation of Israel. 

"I remembered that which I had heard of the claims of the habr who was with the Khazar king, who became a Jew about 400 years ago, as recorded in the books of chronicles. He experienced a repeated dream, as though a malach spoke with him, saying, 'Your intent is desirable to the Creator, but your deeds are not desirable.' He tried hard, within the Khazar religion, serving in their sanctuary and bringing offerings wholeheartedly. For all that he worked at those deeds, though, the malach came to him at night and said, 'Your intent is desirable, but your deeds are not desirable.' And this caused him to investigate beliefs and religions, and in the end he and many Khazars converted to Judaism."

(Rabbi Yehudah haLevi, Kuzari 1:1)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Korbanot are coming back!

Hi,

"The king, Mashiach, will rise and return the monarchy of David to its ancient status and reign, build the Temple and gather in the scattered of Israel, and all laws will return in his day as they once were. They will bring korbanot, and they will practice the Sabbatical and Jubilee years according to all of their laws stated in the Torah."

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim 11:1)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

G-d weighs our speech

Hi,

"Every word of prayer that a person produces from his mouth ascends upward and pierces heavens and enters the place above. There it is evaluated as to whether it is good or not; if it is good then it ascends before the Holy King, to do its will. If not, it is moved outside…"

(Zohar, Metzora pg. 55a)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

The importance of speech

Hi,

"Even the breath of the mouth has a place and position, and Gd does with it what He does. Even a person’s word, even a person’s voice is not for nothing; all have a place and position."

(Zohar, Mishpatim pg. 100b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Fish for Shabbos?

Hi,

"Today there are also those who are careful to have fish in every Shabbat meal; this has a hidden reason."

(Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 242:43)

Is Rabbi Epstein referring to the way fish procreate prolifically? Or to their immunity to the ayin hara of others' jealousy? I suspect not, since both of those are well-documented in Jewish tradition. I don't know what the secret here could be.

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Shabbat: Acknowledging Divine authority

Hi,

"How, above all, does man show his domination over the earth? In that he can fashion all things in his environment to his own purpose... He can transform everything into an instrument of human service. He is allowed to rule over the world for six days with Gd's will. On the seventh day, however, he is forbidden by Divine behest to fashion anything for his own purpose. In this way he acknowledges that he has no rights of ownership or authority over the world... On each Sabbath day, the world, so to speak, is restored to Gd."

(Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, Horeb 141)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

The language of a blessing

Hi,

Introduction: Blessings recited before performing a mitzvah traditionally begin, "Blessed are You... who sanctified us and commanded us to..." We switch from the first-person "You" to the third-person description of G-d "who sanctified us and commanded us." Why?

"Each blessing has both the direct 'Blessed are You' and the indirect 'Who sanctified us' because G-d is both revealed and hidden."

(Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 46:1)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Thanking Gd for the land

Hi,

Regarding thanking Gd for our land in the blessing recited after a meal:

"Even for us today – for the scattered Israel that dwells in other countries – the fact that the land of Israel was once granted to us by G-d and, since lost, will one day again be ours, is of holy significance. This fact demonstrates G-d as the Sustainer of our physical existence and teaches us to see in all possessions and enjoyments a G-d-granted means to His service. 

"In these Berachot, the Land of Israel takes its appropriate pride of place among the other facts that form the foundation of Israel – namely, the Divine covenant with Abraham, the Exodus, and the Revelation at Sinai."

(Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, Horeb 677)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Why a flood of water?

Hi,

Shemot 6:!7 says, "And I, I will bring a mabul of water". A midrash is bothered by the language which indicates that Gd could have brought a mabul of anything, and He chose water, specifically. Why choose water?

"Gd said: They anger Me with the good I have poured upon them, and so with this I will punish them."

(Talmud, Sanhedrin 108a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Divine patience with humanity

Hi,

"Rav Yehudah said, citing Rav: When Gd wished to create Man, He created a group of ministering malachim and said, 'Do you wish for us to make Man in our image?' They said, 'Master of the Universe, what are his deeds?' He replied, 'Such and such.' They said, 'Master of the Universe, 'What is Man that You remember him, etc?' He extended His finger among them and burned them. The same happened with a second set. 

"The third set said before Him: Master of the Universe, what good did the first accomplish with what they said? The entire world is Yours, do whatever You want with Your world. When the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Dispersion came, whose acts were corrupt, they said before Gd: Master of the Universe, didn’t the earlier groups speak correctly before You? He responded: 'Until old age I am He, and until old age I will be patient, etc. (Yeshayah 46)'"

(Talmud, Sanhedrin 38b)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Berachot conquer death?

Hi,

"Samuel II 23:1 terms King David, 'the one who was elevated above [על]' – This is parallel to the 100 [על in gematria] blessings. 

"Each day, 100 Jews died; David enacted 100 blessings, and then the plague halted."

(Midrash, Bamidbar Rabbah 18:21)

What do you think this might mean?

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Pesach Sheni

Hi,

In honour of Pesach Sheni, which is observed this Wednesday, the 14th of Iyar:

The korban pesach celebrates our nation’s formation, the origins of our national connection to G-d, and our belief in Divine supervision of, and intervention in, the world. This message of the korban pesach is so spiritually critical for the Jewish nation that G-d gives every Jew two opportunities to participate. One who misses the first Pesach on the 14th of Nisan is able to bring the korban one month later, on the 14th of Iyar (Mitzvah #380). The korban is brought on the 14th of Iyar and eaten on the night of the 15th of Iyar; the celebration is called Pesach Sheni.

Like the korban pesach brought in Nisan, the korban brought on the 14th of Iyar is eaten with matzah and marror (#381), and other rules are likewise retained: nothing of the korban may be left over until morning (#382), and one may not break any bones from the korban (#383). However, only the laws of the original korban pesach that pertain directly to the korban are applied to Pesach Sheni; one may own chametz on Pesach Sheni (although one may not eat it with the korban), one may perform melachah on that day, and there is no seven-day celebration. Also, Hallel is not recited when eating the korban of Pesach Sheni.

There is some debate regarding whether we are instructed to recite the story of leaving Egypt when eating the korban pesach of Pesach Sheni. This mitzvah might be linked specifically to the night of the 15th of Nisan, which was the night before leaving Egypt. (Sfat Emet to Pesachim 95a)

It is often noted that when the Koreich paragraph in our Haggadah describes the practice of combining the korban pesach with matzah and marror, it quotes the verse of Pesach Sheni (Bamidbar 9:11) instead of the verse of the first Pesach. (Shemot 12:8) Various ideas are suggested to explain this; according to the popular approach of the Belzer Rebbe, by using this verse we express our wish that Mashiach should come before the 14th of Iyar, and we should be able to bring Pesach Sheni. (For more regarding this question, see Pesachim 120a; Chatam Sofer Orach Chaim 140; Avnei Nezer Orach Chaim 383:8; Meishiv Davar 1:32; Minchat Chinuch 380; Seder haAruch 108 note 11 and 151:12-14.)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A punishment for lashon hara

Hi,

"Rabbi Levi said: In the future, Gd will place idolaters into Gehennom, challenging them, 'Why did you persecute My children?'

"The idolaters will reply: It came from them! They would come to us and speak harmfully [lashon hara] about each other!

"At which point Gd will place both in Gehennom."

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 20:1)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

Life should not be divided

Hi,

"Our Sages regarded it as their duty not only to call us from the turmoil of life to a gathering to Gd but to approach us in life itself in order to make vivid for us the thought of Gd in life and to help us towards an active life in the service of Gd…

"The thoughts of Gd acquired in the Divine inner worship must be held on to firmly in active life, so that life be not divided for us into hours of prayer and hours of activity, standing before Gd in the former but in the latter not walking before Him. What would the Divine inward worship be worth if it did not return us to active life in a holier, stronger, more Gd-filled state, and if it did not transform our whole life into Divine service?"

(Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, Horeb 672-673)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Ascending the ramp in haste

Hi,

In what Sefer haChinuch lists as the Torah's 41st mitzvah, HaShem instructed the Jews to build a ramp, rather than steps, leading on to the mizbeiach [altar in the Temple]. As the Torah explains, the purpose is, "so as not to reveal your ervah upon it." Certain parts of a person are classified as "ervah" and are to be covered; taking broad steps on the altar, wearing a tunic, would cause those parts to be more exposed than usual.

According to Sefer haChinuch, there is an added dimension involved in this mitzvah. Taking broad steps displays arrogance and/or frivolity, and we try to conduct ourselves with gravity in the Beit haMikdash. Using a ramp forces a person to take smaller steps and therefore walk with a more disciplined gait.

Regardless of whether the issue is ervah or arrogance, this mitzvah is about the gait rather than the ramp; one who takes broad steps in ascending the ramp is in violation of the law.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

No iron on the altar

Hi,

The Torah disqualifies stones that have been cut with iron from use for the mizbeiach [altar for offerings to Gd]; according to Sefer haChinuch, this is the fortieth mitzvah in the Torah. There is some debate as to whether we may use stones that were cut before their dedication, but certainly we may not use iron tools to shape the stones once they have been dedicated. (See Tosafot Succah 49a and Minchat Chinuch 40:2.)

Sefer haChinuch explains that iron symbolizes the spilling of blood, as well as general destruction; it is inappropriate to build an altar, the locus of atonement and the site at which blessings and peace are generated, with a destructive tool.

It is noteworthy that we do use iron for other mitzvot. For example, the Rambam ruled that the ideal material for a circumcision knife is iron (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Milah 2:1; see Perishah to Tur Yoreh Deah 264:7 and Chatam Sofer to Shabbat 134b for fascinating related comments).

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The goal of shemitah: Eliminate brutality

Hi,

"That which Shabbat accomplishes for each individual, shemitah accomplishes for the nation as a whole… And if that brutality which must accompany the structure of on-going communal life reduces the gentle character of ethical life… then halting the social order in specific ways, from time to time, brings this nation – when it is established on its foundation – to powerful elevation to the heights of the inner traits of ethical, spiritual life…"

את אותה הפעולה שהשבת פועלת על כל יחיד, פועלת היא השמטה על האומה בכללה... ואם אותה האביריות המוכרחת להתלוות עם כל סדר של חיי-צבור קבועים גורמת להקטין את עדינות־החיים המוסרית... הנה הפסקת הסדר החברתי בצדדים ידועים מתקופה לתקופה, מביאה לאומה זו, כשהיא מסודרת על מכונה, לידי עליתה העצמית למרומי התכונות הפנימיות שבחיים המוסריים והרוחנים...

(Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook, Shabbat haAretz, Introduction)

חג עצמאות שמח,

Mordechai

The value of life

Hi,

"Life achieves its potential value only to the extent that it is godly."

החיים שוים הם את ערכם רק באותה מדה שהם אלוקיים

(Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook, Introduction to Shabbat ha'Aretz)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The importance of purity of purpose

Hi,

"As the filth of a stain or grease on a precious garment destroys the status of the garment, so an external interest which is manifest as part of a spiritual pursuit entirely destroys, ruins and eliminates the value of its precious character."

(Rabbi Yehonatan Eliasberg, Darchah shel Torah 9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

In G-d I will trust

Hi,

"Behold, the mighty G-d is my salvation; I will trust, and I will not fear, for strength and praise are with G-d, and He has been my salvation, and you will draw water, celebrating joyously, from the springs of salvation."

(Yeshayah 12:2-3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A time of prophecy for all

Hi,

"And after that, I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters will prophesy, and your elders will dream dreams, and your youths will see visions."

(Yoel 3:1)

Have a great day,

Mordechai